As others have noted, Carly Fiorina will not be cowed by the liberal press into a defensive corner. She's a Tiger!
Transcript:
JAKE TAPPER: Let's turn to the question of abortions. I know you want to talk about it. One of your opponents, Scott Walker, signed a law in Wisconsin this week which would prohibit abortions after 20 weeks of a pregnancy. On Twitter, HIllary Clinton said:
"Governor Walker signed dangerous abortion restrictions into law in Wisconsin — without exceptions for rape and incest. Extreme and unacceptable."
Walker retweeted her, and called her "out of touch with most Americans."
What's your position on this legislation, which does not allow exceptions for rape and incest?
FIORINA: Well, let's talk about the legislation that's sitting on the Senate floor right now, which does allow for those exceptions —
TAPPER: So you —
FIORINA: Let's also talk about, let's also talk about Hillary Clinton's position. Let’s also talk about Hillary Clinton’s position. Let’s talk about what extreme is. It’s not a life until it leaves the hospital. That’s Hillary Clinton’s position. It’s Hillary Clinton’s position that a 13-year-old girl needs her mother’s permission to go to a tanning salon or a tattoo, but not to get an abortion.
It's Hillary Clinton's position that women should not be permitted to look at an ultrasound before an abortion, and yet people who are trying to harvest body parts can use an ultrasound to make sure that those body parts are preserved so they can be sold. That, Jake, is extreme.
TAPPER: Just to clarify — you think there should be an exception for rape and incest?
FIORINA: I would really be delighted if for once the media would ask Hillary Clinton about the extremism of her position.
TAPPER: Well, let's —
FIORINA: It’s not a life, it's not a life until it leaves the hospital.
My position is very clear. It's been very clear and consistent ever since I ran for the Senate in 2010. Anyone can look it up. (Subtext: "You know the answer to the question, Jake, so why are you wasting everyone's time on the house fire while the city is ablaze?" — Ed.) Yes, I support exceptions.
But the majority of the American people now believe that abortion for any reason at all to be paid for by taxpayers after five months is an abomination. And this videotape, whether you're a pro-choice woman or a pro-life woman, this videotape is depraved. The casual nature with which these people are talking about fetuses, and tissue and apecimens. I tell you what, if a woman was looking at the ultrasound at the same stage of pregnancy, the doctor would not be talking about fetuses, or specimens or tissues. They would be saying, "Look at your baby's heartbeat. Look at your baby's eyes. Look at your baby's organs."
TAPPER: Carly Fiorina, thank you so much. Thank you for taking our questions.
Tom Blumer at Newsbusters correctly observes:
Fiorina answered Tapper's question, but she made the larger points, and forcefully.
If Fiorina doesn't get the 2016 presidential or vice-presidential nomination — and those who haven't been taking her seriously need to start doing so — she should be hired immediately by whoever does so she can train them to face the hostile media. It's been many years since I've seen a GOP candidate handle the press in such a consistently deft and poised manner.
Rush Limbaugh likewise waxes enthusiastic over Carly Fiorina's skill at handling the press.
. . . Start your focus of attack on Hillary Clinton. She's the enemy. The Democrat Party's the opponent. You know she's gonna be the nominee. Hit her. Start now. It's a great way to explain who you are, in fact, by contrasting yourself.
This is my advice, okay? And one person either took the advice or instinctively knew to do it on her own, and that's Carly Fiorina, who, by the way, she's just, I think, kicking butt all over the country, folks. Every stop never gets off message. She handles the media with aplomb and skill and it's obvious she enjoys doing it, and she's schooling people. She's showing how it's done. Latest example, Tuesday night, CNN, The Lead with Jake Tapper.
Update: See Warren Cole Smith's interview with Scott Klusendorf, "A Lesson in pro-life apologetics."